Cooler-door control lock



v A ril 7, 1925; 1,532,447 1 T. o. scHRADER COOLERDOOR CONTROL LOCK Filed June 17 1924 Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES v 1,532,447 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS O. SOHRADER, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DENT HARDWARE COMPANY, OF FULLERTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

COOLER-DOOR CONTROL LOOK.

Application filed J'une 1 7, 1924. Serial No. 720,483.

To all whom it may concern:

a citizen of the United States, residing at- Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and 5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cooler-Door Control Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to looks for cooler doors employed in restaurants, meat shops, hotels, and other similar establishments; and particularly of a character in which the lock is operable from both the inside and outside of the cooler or refrigerator, that is, of a type in which it makes no difference whether the lock holding the cooler door closed is in engagement with a keeper, after the person has entered the refrigerator for any purpose, as release can be had instantly from the inside of the cooler or refrigerator by means of a lever rod or bar so arranged as to throw the lock out of engagement with its keeper holding the door in a fixed closed position.

In the foregoing connection my invention comprises a metal lock arranged and operable either left or right-handed and consistin of the structural arrangement of such a lock for the defined purposes hereinafter fully described and clalmed.

The nature and characteristic features of my present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cooler or refrigerator with. a controllable lock in application thereto, embodying the main features of my present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational view, showing the control locking device in a normally operative position in connection with the door of a cooler or refrigerator and in a closed position of said door, with said cooler or refrigerator looking in the direction of the arrow-11].

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the control lock in direction of the arrow 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the internal arrangement of the'said lock, with the same in a condition when the door of the refrigeratoris closed against the box or cooler; and also showing the position of the lever-rod from the rear of the door, for releasing the look from its normal position from the inner side of the cooler box or refrigerator.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of a sectlon of the cooler door and a plan view of the inner operating lever-rod or bar of the said cooler control lock in the direction of the arrow-m of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the control lock, showing the preferred arrangement of the crank-like roller bearing bolt for engaging and disengaging to and from the keeper and thereby either holding closed or permitting of instant release of the door from the cooler box or refrigerator either from the inside or outside, and taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the control lock, showing the operatin leverrod in a position with the crank-l1 e lock bolt released from the keeper therefor; and also showing the position of the inner leverrod or bar adjustably connected by means of a link with the operating means controlling the bolt lock and coil spring connected therewith for freeing the same from the inside of the cooler or refrigerator; and

Fig. 7 is a modified arrangement of the cooler lock, showing a horizontal section therethrough, and in this instance showing the crank-like lock bolt on the right-hand side of the housing concealing the operatlng means for'said bolt and levers, for the -manipulation of the same from either the outside or inside of the cooler or refrigerator.

Referring to the drawings, a, is the refrigerator or cooler box fitted with a controllable locking device of the resent invention and of one of the types in arrangement for door closing and occupyin a lefthanded position, as illustrated in i'gs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of said drawings. This device 6, comprising a box-like housing 6 slitted in partat b and'through which projects a lever operating rod 6 having a bearing collar b, fitting around a cross crank-like shaft b, fiat in one part as at b,

and as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7. This collar is held rigid to said shaft by means of a set screw 6', so as to permit of turning of the said shaft and thereby of the operation of the crank-like extremity b arranged to engage in a keeper 0. This keeper is incliningly arranged to perm t of the roller 6, carried of the same until released by operating the said lever-rod b". The bearing collar b, of the said lever-rod b, is provided with a lug c, for the pivot 0 of a link-c", ad-

justably pivoted to a lug 0, extending from the inner portion of the housing I), and

held in operative position eccentrically with" respect to the position of the lever-rod b thereof. Mounted on the link 0, is a tensile coiled spring 6, the respective extremities of which bear against the said lugs and when the lever-rod If, is operated to bring the said spring into a more or less compressed concentric condition with respect to the said lever-rod and in which is held in a closed position of the door, by means of the crank-like bolt engaging the keeper 0. The roller 6", carried on the lock bolt 7;", may be readily removed by loosening the set screw 6 arranged in the outer end of the" said bolt 6 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2.

The control lock is preferably made of malleable 'iron and the bolt of hardened cast steel or other material. The said bolt in an operative position is under control of the coiled spring and the leverrod b serves only to provide the means for shifting the said bolt as required, against the normal tension of the said spring, in its eccentric relationship, and under in a release position, the lessening of the compressing efiect of the said spring, when assuming substantially opposite eccentric relationship, in respect to the then shifted position of the lever-rod from a depending inclining position, such as is illustrated in Flgs. 2 and 3,

to a substantially horizontal position, such as'illustrated in Fig. 6. Connected with the bar a, is a link c, extending rearwardly *through an opening 6 of the door (L as in Figs. 3 and 6. This link is provided in its 7 rear extremity with a series of perforations 0 for engaging a bell crank lever-rod 0 pivoted to a bracket 0 secured removably to the inner side of the door, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6, and so as to permit as so positioned of the moving of the spring 6, into a compressible condition as in Fig. 6, and thereby. of the shifting of the lever-rod b into a substantially horizontal position,

' and also to cause the control lock bolt to become free of the keeper 0, holding it in a position to open the door of the:cooler box or refrigerator.

In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the crank-like lock bolt extends from the left-hand extremity of the housing concealing the operating means of the look, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, while in Fig. 7, the crank-like bolt, carrying the roller 6 is arranged right-handed with respect to the housing concealing the operating means for the same, as hereinbefore described.

The foregoing arrangement of a control lock operable from either side of the movable member to which applied renders the same safe against accidents such as becoming locked in a cooler or refrigerator. This is highly desirable as well as very important against loss of life. Again thetaking apart of the lock as well as assembly of. the same is a very simple operation for making repairs'or replacing a broken part of the same.

F urthcrmore, the desired leverage required for lockingly holding in fixed relationship, the movable member through a keeper applied to the rigid member, is efiiciently accomplished according to the device arranged as herelnbefore described, and under an exceedingly economical means readily assemlgled an easily adjusted in respect to parts or use.

for holding said link in one position substantially eccentric with respect to that of said lever operating rod, a coil sprin in bearing contact at respective extremities with said lugs, to permit said lever operating rod in actuation to thereby cause said spring to assume a substantially opposite position with respect to the normal position of said link and said lock bolt freed of engagement with said keeper. substantially as and for the purposes described. 2. A control locking device, comprising keeper, a locking .bolt for engaging said keeper having an extension, a houslng in which said extension is journalled, a lever operating rod having a collar normally fitted within said housing to said extension and the collar of said lever operating rod having a lug, a link pivoted to said lug and adjustably connected to the lug of said housing, for holding said link in one position substantially eccentric with respect to that of said lever operating rod, a coil spring in bearing contact at respective extremities with said lugs, to permit said lever operating rod in actuation to thereby cause said spring to assume a substantially opposite position with respect to the normal position of said link and said lock bolt freed of engagement with said keeper, av link connected with said extension and projecting rearwardly through the opening and closlng fiX- no ture and means adjustably pivoted to said link and to a bell crank lever, for operating said lockin bolt from an opposite position, substantialfy as and for the purposes described.

3. A control locking device, comprising a keeper, a locking bolt for engaging said keeper having an extension, a housing in which said extension is journalled, and said bolt at the extremity carrying a removable roller, a lever operating rod removably fitted to said extension, a link pivotally connected to said extension and adjustably connected with a fixed member housing said extension for supporting said link normally in a substantially eccentric position with respect to the position of said lever operating rod, a

said keeper, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses hereto.

THOS. O. SCHRADER.

Witnesses:

MABEL G. DAVIS, ELIZABETH M. PRICE. 

